Large Format photography group - From "zero to hero!"

Leave it now.... very childish. I expect that sort of thing from the kids but you Chris, well, I thought better of you... very disappointed.... :D
 
Congratulation on the acquisition, great little cameras, very light to carry. I have a rosewood Wista 45 Field camera, I must dig it out and run some film through it. You will have fun using it.....
 
All you need now is a CombiPlan daylight developing tank and you'll be using stuff I've used...

Well done on the new camera.

Now, if I may encourage a little GAS - do you have enough double dark slides to support two cameras? :rolleyes:
 
steveo_mcg said:
You know how much they weigh! :D
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Yep, about the same as an f100 with lens, merely a wisp of air. :D

StephenM said:
All you need now is a CombiPlan daylight developing tank and you'll be using stuff I've used...

Well done on the new camera.

Now, if I may encourage a little GAS - do you have enough double dark slides to support two cameras? :rolleyes:
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Thank you Stephen. I think for the moment I have enough, but we shall see.

Woodsy said:
So, I trust you're selling the mpp then Andy?
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I'm not sure mate. I really like it and may keep it for indoor work as it is very stable.
 
Hi guys. I have been following this thread with interest. I have now got involved myself having purchased a Linhof Technika 4x5. I tried it out yesterday and developed the negs in Ilfotec HC for 8 min at 20 degrees 1:31using 800ml solution with the taco method in a Paterson tank. The negs seem to have come out quite over exposed and I am not sure what part of the process has gone wrong. I incident metered over my shoulder at ISO 125. Film was fp4+. Any ideas appreciated. Pic of the least over exposed neg:

4x5 neg by biotecbob, on Flickr
 
Well, it looks as though the dynamic range of the scene is quite high. You're struggling for detail in the water and yet the underside of the bridge is, at a guess, pushing towards shadow. That being said, if you're aim is to scan it, do the scan and see how much information is retained.

Your dilution, temperature and time seem fine. I'd guess therefore that either your shutter is way out in terms of timing, or your meter under read the scene.
 
Ah, I seem to have just bought a Nikon 180mm f5.6 in Copal 1 in a Wista lens board. Ooops!!!! :D
 
Woodsy said:
Outrageous! :D

What's your lens line up looking like now then fella?
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Sparse..... :D At the mo its just the soon to be arriving from Japan Nikon 180mm and the Schneider Kreuznach 135mm which is stuck in the MPP lens board.
 
I do wish I could afford an F5.6 90mm the F8 SA is just sooo dark. Then again I rarely need anything so wide, I've kinda settled on my Fuji 125mm, despite its limited coverage its fine for landscape work.
 
*strokes Nikkor 90mm F/4.5*


*...Rubs lower back also...*

I hear you on the 125mm though. My 120mm is fast becoming my favourite lens I think.
 
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Ah, Dean has arrived and the conversation has sunk into the gutter.... same old, same old. :D
 
TBH I find the 135mm just about ok for landscapes, I wouldn't really want to go any wider. I will probably get something in the 240-300mm range as I want to do some portraits and some more close-up landscapes... if that is actually a thing.
 
Andysnap said:
TBH I find the 135mm just about ok for landscapes, I wouldn't really want to go any wider. I will probably get something in the 240-300mm range as I want to do some portraits and some more close-up landscapes... if that is actually a thing.
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I too have been considering a longer lens for landscapes, especially in the wider open places like the lakes etc. I really like those really selective compositions where a longer lens is used to maintain the proper relative proportions of things. I think it was Feininger that called it the 'natural' perspective.

The Nikkor M 300mm is alleged to be excellent and, crucially, very light. It is an F/9 lens though and rather expensive. Just remember to make sure your bellows extension can handle a lens that long.
 
Woodsy said:
*strokes Nikkor 90mm F/4.5*


*...Rubs lower back also...*

I hear you on the 125mm though. My 120mm is fast becoming my favourite lens I think.
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I was also struggling to find a 90mm that was fast and light/compact so I ended up going for a Schneider 80mm F4.5 super symmar xl
 
Woodsy said:
I too have been considering a longer lens for landscapes, especially in the wider open places like the lakes etc. I really like those really selective compositions where a longer lens is used to maintain the proper relative proportions of things. I think it was Feininger that called it the 'natural' perspective.

The Nikkor M 300mm is alleged to be excellent and, crucially, very light. It is an F/9 lens though and rather expensive. Just remember to make sure your bellows extension can handle a lens that long.
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Yeah I quite like a longer landscape, my rail will only go to about 210 which is lucky as thats my longest lens.
 
Woodsy said:
Well, it looks as though the dynamic range of the scene is quite high. You're struggling for detail in the water and yet the underside of the bridge is, at a guess, pushing towards shadow. That being said, if you're aim is to scan it, do the scan and see how much information is retained.

Your dilution, temperature and time seem fine. I'd guess therefore that either your shutter is way out in terms of timing, or your meter under read the scene.
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Thanks woodsy. Yes I will see how the scan turns out, hopefully it will be ok. I did some others using a yellow orange filter but these are even worse because I over calculated the filter factor and resulting reciprocity.

Aside from these cock ups I really enjoyed using large format. I need to find a chance to have another go.
 
steveo_mcg said:
Yeah I quite like a longer landscape, my rail will only go to about 210 which is lucky as thats my longest lens.
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You could look for a telephoto design.
 
The Tele-Xenar appears to be f/5.5, 360mm weighing 670 grams in a 3 shutter. The Symmar-S lenses weight about twice that.
 
OK, I've done some tests on the new scanner (Epson 4990) compared to the V500 and I'm extremely satisfied with the results from the 4990. So, the V500 is now in the classifieds.

I think the 4990 may be a little bit cleaner and resolve a little more detail than the V500, plus, although it scans slower I can do 5x4 in one pass and not have to mess about doing 2 runs and stitching together in PS.
 
Cool, how much larger is it? My v500 basically fills the space it inhabits but it might be nice to get a single pass for sheets.
 
steveo_mcg said:
Cool, how much larger is it? My v500 basically fills the space it inhabits but it might be nice to get a single pass for sheets.
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The footprint is slightly larger and its a little bit taller. You would need a half inch all round on to of the v500.
 
@Woodsy

In other news, after taking the advice of the eminent Mr Woodsy I popped the Schneider K lens in the freezer for a bit and the retaining ring came off straight away. Hooray for science.
 
Andysnap said:
@Woodsy

In other news, after taking the advice of the eminent Mr Woodsy I popped the Schneider K lens in the freezer for a bit and the retaining ring came off straight away. Hooray for science.
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Leave yourself in there overnight and I suspect you 'll av bits come off easy / straight away too :wideyed::exit::D
 
Andysnap said:
@Woodsy

In other news, after taking the advice of the eminent Mr Woodsy I popped the Schneider K lens in the freezer for a bit and the retaining ring came off straight away. Hooray for science.
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Scientastic
 
Andysnap said:
@Woodsy

In other news, after taking the advice of the eminent Mr Woodsy I popped the Schneider K lens in the freezer for a bit and the retaining ring came off straight away. Hooray for science.
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As they say in the modern idiom - "that's really cool"
 
So cold it will "freeze the retaining ring off an LF lens". Nah, it's never going to take over from brass monkeys. :cool:
 
Glad it worked Andy!

I should add that I did advise that it was marginally risky to do this with a lens. It only works if the lens barrel shrinks more than the retaining ring, and this depends on the materials. Also, sticking it in the freezer risks the barrel shrinking and cracking the lens elements. For anyone wondering whether to do this or not, either find out what materials the lens is made of first, or start with the fridge :D
 
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